Ryan guides the overall financial decisions, but when it’s go-time and he’s in the fields, it all comes together when he sees those on-farm investments in action.

While you’d think the grain markets have been a roller-coaster ride, Ryan thrives on the adrenaline rush. He loves seeing how their day-to-day efforts in the field and in managing their operation pay off financially and says it makes it all worthwhile — most of the time.

Yield maps guide Ryan’s fertility decisions, including:

• Spreading potash after harvest and addressing pH issues with lime (sandy soils pose a challenge for holding calcium)
• Placing N and P in a 2×2 run (2” on side and 2” below seed) and adding micronutrients and biologicals in-furrow
• Applying magnesium in the spring
• Sidedressing N and P in-season or choosing to fertigate in cold weather

“We started using biologicals to push the envelope on yields, but if they can work with our fertility program and help us be more efficient with our fertilizer, that’s good.”